Prof. Mike Ozekhome Elevated to Life Bencher Status, the Apex Distinction in Legal Practice In a momentous recognition of legal excellence, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, CON, OFR, FCIArb, LL.D, was on Thursday, February 27, 2025, conferred with the prestigious rank of Life Bencher—the highest distinction within the Nigerian legal profession. The investiture ceremony, presided over by Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN (Chairman, Body of Benchers and Life Bencher), was graced by eminent jurists and legal luminaries, including Hon. Justice Alfa Belgore (former Chief Justice of Nigeria), Hon. Justice Umaru Abdullahi (former President, Court of Appeal), Chief (Mrs.) Victoria Awomolo, SAN (Bencher), Mrs. Gloria Umoren, SAN, Chief Isenalumhe, SAN (Life Bencher), Prof. Joy Ezeilo, SAN (Life Bencher), Chief Solomon Umoh, SAN (Life Bencher), and Hon. Yakubu Dogara (former Speaker, House of Representatives and Life Bencher). This rare elevation affirms Prof. Ozekhome’s exceptional contributions to legal scholarship, constitutional advocacy, and jurisprudential advancement. His lifelong dedication to the rule of law, human rights, and public interest litigation has earned him a distinguished place among the most revered legal minds in Nigeria. The conferment of Life Bencher status is not merely an honorific but a mark of profound professional distinction, reserved for legal practitioners whose impact has shaped the very fabric of the nation’s judiciary.